German foreign minister pledges continued support for Ukraine in Kyiv visit
Mr Wadephul is due to meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha.
The German minister said in a statement that Germany will help Ukraine 'continue to defend itself successfully – with modern air defence and other weapons, with humanitarian and economic aid'.
Our institutions are working on the synchronization of European and Ukrainian sanctions. We are also fully aligning the European sanctions package targeting the regime in Iran, which includes numerous individuals, companies, and entities not only involved in military production… pic.twitter.com/cdUdJnbeo7
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 29, 2025
Germany has been Ukraine's second-largest military backer after the United States, whose continuing support is in doubt.
However, Berlin has baulked at granting Mr Zelensky's request to provide Ukraine with powerful German- and Swedish-made Taurus long-range missiles.
This is due to fears that such a move could enrage the Kremlin and end up drawing Nato into Europe's biggest conflict since the Second World War.
Instead, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged in May to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets.
Almost all night long, air raid alerts sounded across Ukraine — 477 drones were in our skies, most of them Russian-Iranian Shaheds, along with 60 missiles of various types. The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit,… pic.twitter.com/1ExZhYAMBg
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) June 29, 2025
Mr Wadephul was accompanied on his trip to Kyiv by German defence industry representatives.
Russia's invasion shows no sign of letting up. Its grinding war of attrition along the roughly 620-mile front line and long-range strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine have killed thousands of troops and civilians.
The Russian effort to capture more Ukrainian territory has been costly in terms of casualties and damaged armour. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected a ceasefire and has not budged from his war goals.
Mr Putin 'doesn't want negotiations, but (Ukrainian) capitulation', Mr Wadephul said in his statement.
Russia launched its biggest combined aerial attack against Ukraine at the weekend, Ukrainian officials said, in its escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts.
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JAMnews
an hour ago
- JAMnews
Violence against Azerbaijanis in Russia's Yekaterinburg sparks Baku–Moscow tensions: opinions
Detention of Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg, Russia On June 27, Russian special forces raided and ransacked the 'Caspian' café in Yekaterinburg, Russia, which belongs to the Safarov family-ethnic Azerbaijanis. Violent searches were carried out in their apartments. Two men, Ziyaddin and Huseyn Safarov, were killed during the raid. Azerbaijani media report that they were brothers of well-known journalist Seyfaddin Huseynli. Several others were injured, and nine people were arrested. Russia's interior ministry stated the operation was part of an investigation into crimes committed in the early 2000s and 2010s. Azerbaijan's foreign ministry issued a strong protest, demanding 'a prompt investigation and prosecution of all those responsible for the violence.' The incident triggered a sharp escalation in Baku–Moscow relations at all levels. The planned visit of Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk to Baku and a session of the bilateral interparliamentary commission in Moscow were both canceled. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Culture also canceled all cultural events in or related to Russia. State-run Azerbaijani media have published sharply critical commentary directed at Russia and President Vladimir Putin personally. How it happened On the morning of June 27, special forces units raided several apartments of ethnic Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg simultaneously. One group broke into the home of the Safarov family, originally from Aghdam (a city liberated from Armenian occupation during the Second Karabakh War in 2020). Armed men with covered faces immediately used brutal physical force. Family members say they were thrown to the floor in separate rooms and beaten with various objects. According to testimonies, some were subjected to electric shocks. The homes were ransacked. Detainees were also reportedly subjected to degrading treatment. One of them, Vugar Safarov, told journalists that while being taken to the police station with his brother, they were forced to eat dirt, and when they refused, they were beaten. His father, Mazakhir Safarov, who suffers from a heart condition, was reportedly shocked with electric devices multiple times. According to the family, the abuse and violence continued both at home and later at the police station until the evening. Harsh statements in Azerbaijani media toward Russia and Putin Unprecedentedly strong rhetoric toward Russia and its president Vladimir Putin has been dominating Azerbaijani media. Outrage has been expressed by nearly all experts, journalists, and many members of parliament. In the June 29 evening news broadcast on state channel AzTv, Russia was described as a 'prison of nations.' The anchor declared: 'What's wrong, Mr. Putin? Are you so disturbed by the fact that Azerbaijan has become a strong regional power, has returned its territories for the first time in 200 years, and defended its national interests? That the global arena has recognized President Aliyev as a strong leader? You are used to ruling over peoples forcibly absorbed into your empire. In tsarist and Soviet times, Russians were treated as a superior race. Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkmens, and others were always seen as second-class. And today, even after both empires have been thrown onto the scrap heap of history, this attitude hasn't changed.' Later in the day, AzTv presenters added: 'This is a systematic policy directed by Vladimir Putin. Look at what Russia is doing to fellow believers in Ukraine—destroying cities, committing genocide in Bucha, launching devastating attacks on residential buildings. So it's no surprise how Russia treats people of other faiths. This attitude has been cultivated over years and has now taken monstrous forms.' In a comment published on the website of the state agency AZƏRTAC, Russian policy was compared to Germany in the 1930s. Opposition leader Ali Karimli: 'Moscow wants to see Azerbaijan as a fully submissive vassal' Ali Karimli, photo by Sancaq One of the strongest reactions to the events in Yekaterinburg came from Ali Karimli, chairman of the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party. He believes the incident was not simply the initiative of law enforcement but was directly ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin: 'It's impossible to imagine that violence and such humiliating treatment of a country considered one of Russia's chosen partners could have been carried out at the initiative of a mid-level official.' Karimli sees the incident as a deliberate Kremlin attempt to humiliate Azerbaijan as a state and as a people. He argues that Putin continues to operate within a classic imperial mindset, where Russia has no allies—only vassals and colonies. 'Moscow wants to see Azerbaijan as a fully submissive vassal and seems confident it has already achieved that. This confidence stems from Azerbaijan's internal weaknesses: corruption, economic monopolies, the collapse of democratic institutions, and the concentration of political power in the hands of one man. Putin also expects that Ilham Aliyev would rather yield to Russian pressure and accept Moscow's terms than draw closer to the West and the democratic world.' The opposition leader issued a direct call to Azerbaijan's leadership: 'Either submit to the demands of the Russian Empire and effectively accept the role of its governor, or open up to the people and the international community, and show political will to defend independence and citizens' rights.' According to Karimli, what happened is not only a test—but also a historic opportunity for Azerbaijan. Elkhan Shahinoglu: 'This is a response to the closure of the Russian House in Baku and the restriction of the Sputnik agency's activities' Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu / photo Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu explains the incident in the context of broader political relations between Moscow and Azerbaijan. He notes that what happened may be a response to the closure of the 'Russian House' in Baku in February 2025 and the decision made at the same time to restrict the activities of the Russian state agency Sputnik. Shahinoglu said that the detainees were offered to sign documents agreeing to be sent to fight in Ukraine as a way to avoid arrest. 'This is one of the forms of pressure recently used in Russia against ethnic groups that are not Russian. It has become a new method of torture applied by the Russian authorities to people of various nationalities, including Azerbaijanis. Russian citizens are advised to sign such documents, and they are given explanations. But members of other ethnic groups are forced to sign them under pressure, because they are the ones sent to die first. For people of other nationalities, living and working in Russia is becoming dangerous. If the president says, 'Where the Russian soldier is — there is Russia,' then his police will torture and kill innocent people.' Altay Geyushev: 'People leave Azerbaijan for Russia because they can work freely there' Historian Altay Geyushev / Photo: University of Free Thought Historian Altay Geyushev draws attention to the structural problems in Azerbaijan that form the backdrop to what happened. He argues that the main reason Azerbaijani citizens go to Russia is the lack of economic freedoms within Azerbaijan itself. 'People go there not for prosperity, but simply to have the opportunity to work freely. For comparison: I recently learned that the Azerbaijani government lifted visa requirements for Chinese citizens long ago, but China still hasn't lifted visas for Azerbaijanis. Why? Because they know Azerbaijanis are ready to accept anything and go anywhere, just to escape the problems in their own country.' Moscow's explanation: 'The detainees are Russian citizens, arrested as part of an investigation into serious crimes' Maria Zakharov / SCANPIX / AP Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to the statement by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry as follows: 'The detainees are Russian citizens of Azerbaijani origin. They were arrested as part of an investigation into serious crimes committed in previous years. The investigation is ongoing. On June 28, Russia's chargé d'affaires in Azerbaijan, Pyotr Volokokhikh, was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and provided clarification on the incident. More detailed information will be provided by the Russian Investigative Committee.' Conclusion The violence in Yekaterinburg has prompted Azerbaijani state institutions, society, and the expert community to adopt a unified stance. The current situation is unique: for the first time, the balance in Azerbaijan-Russia relations has been so clearly disrupted. The case is expected to result not just in diplomatic explanations, but in concrete legal consequences. News in Azerbaijan
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un weeps over coffins of troops he sent to die in Putin's meatgrinder war in Ukraine
His apparent sorrow has not stopped him drawing up plans to send thousands more North Koreans to their deaths in Russia TEARS OF A TYRANT North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un weeps over coffins of troops he sent to die in Putin's meatgrinder war in Ukraine KIM Jong-un wept as he watched himself back draping flags over the coffins of North Korean troops he sent to die on Putin's front-line in Ukraine. Around 12,000 North Koreans were shipped over to fight for Russia - but they were ill-prepared for the battlefield and many were decimated. 7 Kim Jong-un teared up as he watched back himself laying the North Korean flag over soldiers' coffins Credit: Reuters 7 The coffins are thought to contain the bodies of North Koreans killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine Credit: X 7 Kim enters the ceremony with his daughter Kim Ju-ae, right, and Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova, left Credit: AFP Kim hosted a ceremony which remembered the soldiers taken out by Zelensky's brave army - and things got emotional for the tyrant. Thousands of North Koreans stood to attention in the vast auditorium, with Kim in the front row. Images of Kim draping the North Korean flag over soldiers' coffins were broadcast on a giant screen at the front while a huge orchestra played emotional music. Women in long dresses sang passionately and there was even a harp player stationed on the stage. READ MORE IN WORLD NEWS STEWARDESS HORROR Flight attendant dies in plunge from balcony in mysterious circumstances Kim draped flags over at least six coffins, and could be seen resting his hands on them in reflection. Watching the scenes back, the dictator's eyes shone with emotion. Other members of the audience - which reportedly included North Korean and Russian soldiers - were also visibly moved. The state-run Korea Central News Agency hailed the gala for reaffirming the "ties of friendship and the genuine internationalist obligation between the peoples and armies of the two countries that were forged at the cost of blood. The event was attended by Russia's culture minster Olga Lyubimov, who was visiting the Hermit Kingdom to mark the first anniversary of the strategic partnership treaty. Signed last June by Putin and Kim, it included a mutual defence pact - guaranteeing they will protect one another. North Korea's 'Benidorm' to FINALLY open next week as tyrant Kim Jong-Un cuts ribbon - and Brits have signed up to visit The treaty is believed to have majorly ramped up co-operation between the nations. Moscow is understood to be providing Pyongyang with vital military technology - including blueprints for missile guidance systems and air defence weapons. And after months of speculation, the leaders finally admitted that North Korean troops had fought for Russia. Kim's men were first reported to be in Russia back in October, and the following month there was strong evidence of them on the battlefield. 7 Kim seemed moved by the sacrifices of his troops Credit: X 7 The military ceremony was a pompous affair complete with a choir and orchestra Credit: EPA 7 The event marked a year since North Korea and Russia signed a mutual defence agreement Credit: AFP They fought alongside Putin's men mainly in the Kursk region - an area of Russia which Ukraine took in a surprise incursion. Thousands of the North Koreans died, with analysts suggesting they were not prepared for the modern style of drone warfare. However, it was admitted that the Korean soldiers were ultimately instrumental in Russia winning back the land in March this year. As the rotten partnership blooms, North Korea is expected to send another 6,000 troops over to Russia later this summer. The military assistance has been slammed by concerned nations, including South Korea and Japan. Officials in Seoul have raised concerns that it violates UN sanctions on North Korea.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
International Criminal Court hit with cyber security attack
The International Criminal Court has been targeted by a 'sophisticated' cyberattack and is taking measures to limit any damage, the global tribunal announced Monday. The ICC, which also was hit by a cyberattack in 2023, said the latest incident had been contained but did not elaborate further on the impact or possible motive. 'A Court-wide impact analysis is being carried out, and steps are already being taken to mitigate any effects of the incident,' the court said in a statement. The attack happened last week. 'All necessary measures have been taken to ensure the business continuity,' court spokesman Fadi El Abdallah told The Associated Press. The incident happened in the same week that The Hague hosted a summit of 32 NATO leaders at a conference center near the court amid tight security including measures to guard against cyberattacks. The court declined to say whether any confidential information had been compromised. The ICC has a number of high-profile investigations and preliminary inquiries underway in nations around the world and has in the past been the target of espionage. In 2022, a Dutch intelligence agency said it had foiled a plot by a Russian spy using a false Brazilian identity to work as an intern at the court, which is investigating allegations of Russian war crimes in Ukraine and has issued a war crimes arrest warrant for President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. Arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, over Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza have also drawn ire. U.S. President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on its chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, in February and earlier this month also sanctioned four judges at the court. The court is still feeling the effects of the last cyberattack, with wifi still not completely restored to its purpose-built headquarters.
